Re: Advertising suggestions sought, or stratagies

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Oct 6, 10:47=A0pm, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Oct 6, 6:41=A0pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Oct 6, 9:13=A0am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > On Oct 5, 8:38=A0am, "Bill" <billnomailnosp...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > Perhaps you could have say 4 inch by 12 inch cards printed up and a
> > > > door knob hole punched out, then go stick those on doors in your sp=
are
> > > > time.
>
> > > > The advantage to that would be it would get people's attention bett=
er.
> > > > Then they have your phone number there at home (you could also prin=
t
> > > > one of those cell phone graphics to dial the number for them).
>
> > > > And you could do just a little at a time. Then if you got a good
> > > > response, you would not be overwhelmed with phone calls /
> > > > appointments.
>
> > > > Or if you got "no response", then change what the card says, the
> > > > offer, etc.
>
> > > RHC: I tried that early on in my business with marginal success.
> > > Expect a !% response rate at best and it will usually be someone from
> > > the "something for nothing crowd" who calls back.
>
> > The only thing that worked for me is now too common-place to work any
> > more.
>
> > Back in the 70's I got the idea to go to the library and check the
> > Cole's Directory which lists =A0people by zip code, telephone number
> > town etc, etc. (There wasn't any Internet as there is today.) I picked
> > Zip codes in high end areas and cold called them on the telephone. I
> > spent a considerable number of evenings calling people but ultimately
> > was landing appointments with about 2 or 3 people out of 10. I was
> > offering a free small fire extinguisher or simple door alarm as a
> > giveaway. That turned out to be a pretty good source after awhile.
> > After I learned what to say and how to tell if I was going to have a
> > chance at an appointment or not. After about 3 or 4 hundred calls and
> > a number of sales calls, you begin to get the "feel" of who's good and
> > who's not.
>
> > Nowdays, that's all old stuff and the Federal Do Not Call law put an
> > end to that. Other things I've tried have never produced enough to
> > make it worth the expense. Yellow pages, local newspapers, mailers,
>
> > Another thing that "would" still work today, however, =A0is walk-in col=
d
> > calling on small retail businesses. That was always a successful
> > method for getting work for me. Ya gotta keep track of who you talk,
> > their location and when and really do a lot of follow up but if you're
> > diligent about it, you can pick up a lot of new business.
>
> > However nowdays, the younger people are too lazy, =A0have no personalit=
y
> > nor the balls to do cold calling. They'd rather stay home and take
> > care of the house and baby while the wife works and gets free medical
> > benefits. Besides, if they were out working, how would they ever get a
> > chance to try out the scented crystal bubble bath powder when the baby
> > takes a nap?
>
> RHC: Uh...what about all those door knockers for the phoney "free
> alarm systems" and all those other utility contracts near scams? These
> people are usually young students trying to sell whatever they can,
> and they are both young and hungry. So I'm not sure that what you say
> about the young folk is always true. And cold calling has always been
> the hardest way to sell something for the person involved. Yah gotta
> have a very thick skin to take all the "no" responses to get that rare
> "yes" response.
>

Oh yeah! I forgot about them. But I've had a couple of the Varint (or
whatever their new alias is now) come to my door and they seemed more
like high school kids trying to sell chances to get money for the
Cheerleaders club. If that's typical, then the people who would buy a
security system from them ...... deserve what they get.

> But I do share your sentiment about many of the younger workers today.
> It seems they don't have that "nose to the grindstone" work ethic that
> we do. And you don't find many that will put the job ahead of other
> personal life issues.
>
> And sometimes (not always, but sometimes) =A0I think they may have
> something there. It seems they work to live not live to work.

Could be we're looking at it from the perspective of our past where it
was necessary to work for a living because no one, including the
government was going to take care of us .... .if we didn't.  Now,
there's a free handout to anyone who doesn't want to work to maintain
themselves. That old saying "you have to produce more than you
consume" isn't true anymore. I'm not sure if I'm missing it or not but
one thing I seem to notice missing in younger people, is the pride in
accomplishment. If you don't have that then you don't have any reason
to extend yourself , no motivation to do more than what is only
basicly essential for your existance .... if even that.
>
> You can't take it with you....there are no pockets in a death
> shroud......:)) =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 (a little gallows humour...:))-

Hmmmm. I'll have to talk to my undertaker about how much more that
would cost.

But, if I'm lucky, I'll have spent my kids inheritance.